Rangers Seek Answers Over VAR as Hibernian Defeat Bites, But the Bigger Story Is the Manager Hunt
Rangers want answers. Chief executive Jim Gillespie has confirmed the club is seeking clarification from the Scottish FA over the VAR call that handed Hibernian a penalty in Rangers' 2-1 defeat on Sunday — a decision he believes did not meet the "clear and obvious" threshold required for the video referee to intervene. (BBC Sport)
VAR — the video assistant referee system, where an official reviews decisions on a monitor — is supposed to correct only glaring mistakes. Gillespie's argument is straightforward: he did not see this one as glaring. "It was my understanding that a VAR error must be clear and obvious for the referee to be called over," he said, "and I did not see the Hibernian penalty decision as clear or obvious." (BBC Sport)
The frustration over a single penalty call, though, is only part of what surfaced at the club's shareholder meeting on Sunday. Chairman Andrew Cavanagh sat alongside Gillespie and shareholder Paraag Marathe as Rangers laid out their plans for the months ahead — and the name on every supporter's lips was the next permanent manager. (Daily Record)
Rangers have cycled through bosses at a startling rate. Barry Ferguson, a Hall of Fame former captain, was appointed in February 2025. Russell Martin arrived on a three-year deal that June. Danny Röhl took over by October, bringing in Sascha Lense as performance manager and Matthias Kaltenbach to his staff. None of those tenures lasted. The churn has been relentless, and the club knows the next appointment has to stick.
Gillespie offered a clear picture of what Rangers are looking for: a "Klopp-style" manager — front-foot, high-intensity, attacking football in the mould of Jürgen Klopp's best sides. And he named a target. Derek McInnes, Gillespie said, has been "high on the club's list for a long time" and fits the style and culture of Rangers. (BBC Sport)
McInnes is a compelling candidate. Last season he came agonisingly close to winning the Scottish title with Heart of Midlothian, falling just short. That near-miss at a club outside the Old Firm — the traditional dominance of Rangers and Celtic — was one of the stories of the campaign. It also proved McInnes can build a team capable of going toe-to-toe with Scotland's biggest spenders. (BBC Sport)
For Rangers fans, the VAR complaint will sting, but the manager search is the thread that matters more. A penalty decision costs you a match. A managerial appointment, done right or wrong, shapes years. The club has tried club legends, tacticians, and proven operators. Now they want someone who plays the Klopp way — and they have a specific Scottish name in mind.
Whether McInnes is the one to finally bring stability to Ibrox remains the question nobody can answer yet. What is certain is that Rangers, under their new hierarchy, are not leaving it to chance.
